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be nosy
/biː ˈnoʊzi/
to be overly curious about others' private affairs
She always asks too many personal questions—she's so nosy!
The phrase highlights her tendency to pry into others' lives.
informal
to be excessively curious about other people's business or private matters
He keeps asking about my salary—why is he so nosy?
This shows his intrusive behavior regarding personal finances.
Stop being nosy and mind your own business!
A direct way to tell someone to stop prying.
Often used in informal contexts to describe someone who asks intrusive questions.
Collocations
be nosy aboutto be overly curious about a specific topicstop being nosyto stop asking intrusive questions
Synonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Formal vs. Informal
Use 'intrusive' in formal contexts instead of 'nosy'.
Gold Rule
Context Matters
'Nosy' is always negative—avoid using it to describe curiosity in a positive way.
Word Origin
From 'nose' (originally referring to sticking one's nose into others' affairs) + '-y' (suffix forming adjectives).
Usage Notes
Common in informal speech to describe someone who asks too many personal questions.
Word Breakdown
be
to exist in a certain state
verbnosy
overly curious about others' private matters
adjectiveEnglish Dictionary